The University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library is overflowing with information. Whether it’s digital, audio, or paper, there’s a wealth of information documenting UWG’s history and development.
Finding the storage space needed to store and preserve all of this data has become a challenge. However, FOGO Data Center and VL7 Solutions have an answer to this problem. The two companies have generously committed more than $30,000 in in-kind support to Ingram Library to provide digital storage space and a management application needed to preserve these historical records.
FOGO CEO Bill Esslinger and his wife, President of Esslinger Tech Law Debbie Esslinger, are working together with Cofounder and Partner of VL7 Solutions Derek Skinner and Blynne Olivieri, head of UWG’s Special Collections to formulate ideas on how to store the data while providing public access through the Internet.
After discussing the project with Blynne, Bill said he came up with the idea to utilize UWG students to help solve the data storage problem, making it an experiential learning project that is now in its first phase.
“For example, computer science or business information students can work with Debbie through mentoring to design the product,” Bill said. “And business students could work with me to figure out how to actually do the market research and branding, set up a company and actually do it.”
This process of thought would help students grow a product and build a company that would then provide them with a job upon graduation.
“How cool would that be?” Esslinger added. “To work with students who can graduate, have a job at a company they founded and then go sell this product to other universities.”
Derek is pleased, as well, to assist in this project.
“VL7 Solutions is absolutely thrilled to be involved with UWG and FOGO Data Center with the repository project,” he said. “By preserving these precious media resources from West Georgia and the surrounding areas, we are helping to guarantee these resources endure for years to come. It is our hope that students, teachers, and the public are able to learn, enjoy, and contribute to the repository for generations.”
“One of the major roles of a university library is to connect patrons with information,” Blynne said. “In our digital age, Special Collections was receiving digital files from local families, organizations, and politicians on floppy discs, diskettes, CDs, through email, and other means. Ingram Library’s Special Collections is thrilled to have worked with FOGO Data Centers and VL7 Solutions to tackle the challenge of preserving these valuable digital materials and providing the means for public access to them.”
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